Sunday, January 29, 2012

It is hard to believe we are almost into February already. I don't know if it is because I am old that time seems to just fly by these days or if it is a problem that everyone is facing, regardless I will try and remember all our goings on so far this year.

First of all I am happy to report that Anna and I are still fish owners! Unfortunately our Silver Molly "Ghost", became, well.....a ghost a few weeks ago. She was definitely the more energetic one out of the two, and if I was a gambling woman, I would have put my money on her. However our Rainbow fish "Finn" is doing really well and will hopefully have some more tank mates within the next couple of weeks.

Reality set in earlier on in the month with the resumption of school and work. Gosh it was a chore to go back! We could have easily remained on holidays for at least another month. But now that we are back in the swing of things, it isn't so bad.

Orrin is currently working on his "100 Day" project for school. I fear the little guy bit off a little more than he can chew for this one, but once completed, the final product promises to be spectacular!

Along with Jake's other "jobs" at school he has now been promoted to "Bake Shop Friday" delivery boy. Our shop makes lunches for the elementary school kids on Fridays. The kids get a choice of either a soup, bun and cookie or a bunwich and cookie. We usually get between 40-60 orders and once we take them up to the school, it is Jake's job to deliver them to the classrooms. The drama continues as far as finding a suitable place for him for grade 7. I found an excellent program in a nearby school, but because it is in another school division, they wont take him. So for now, it looks like we will have to make the best out of a kind of crappy situation, hopefully things can improve at the local school.

Anna started curling this year. For all you hoards of Aussies that read my blog, here is the Wikipedia explanation right here.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling . She is just learning, but really likes it.

Jesse started up a floor hockey team for the Fire Department. Again the wikipedia definition is here....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floor_hockey. It started up as the Firefighters Vs RCMP, but now it is really anyone that wants to join in. The guys and gals take it very seriously and there is often a few scrimmages before the night is over. The kids and I went to a game last week. It was a lot of fun to watch. One of the guys gave Orrin his stick so he could get in on the action. He is a little Mighty Mouse and got in there like a pig in mud. After a few minutes Jesse wanted him out in fear of his life, and he was pretty disappointed but has hardly stopped talking about it since.

Before I bought the shop, Friday nights were pizza nights at home. We would come up with different kinds of pizza and we would make them together. Well this month I took the very rare opportunity of actually wanting to cook something at home so we had Pizza Night again. The kids did everything and our garlic sausage pizza's were delicious!

Bonnie and I took the kids to West Edmonton Mall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Edmonton_Mall for some shopping. The Guns and Hoses Ball (for emergency service workers in Brazeau County) is next month and I was on the hunt for a new outfit. Bonnie and the kids were really troopers! Alas I came home empty handed.

My peeps and I try to have a girls night once a month. This month we were able to go to a local bar to watch Ray play in his band Blackwater Crude. Other than the nasty snowstorm that same night, we still had a blast! I asked Ray earlier that day if they could play "TNT" by ACDC. The do an awesome job of it and I got it on my camera. The sound is atrocious (I was apparently way to close to the speakers, but you get the jist).

And finally we celebrated Australia by making Cheesymite scrolls at the shop. Canadians really don't appreciate fine cuisine when the see it, so all the more for Emily and I!

And as promised the photos of my new kitchen, car and humble little shop....

Monday, January 16, 2012

Well, we all knew it had to come eventually, and boy did it come! All year and even December was so pleasant. Christmas Day was +10 and there really hasn't been much snow or cold weather to excite anyone(now by cold I mean COLD, like for a Canadian!) But Saturday old man winter arrived with a vengeance! It snowed all day and I mean it started in the morning and was still snowing at 4am Sunday (I know this cause I was out in it!) The temperature plummeted and here we are Monday at -26, colder of course with the windchill. But today will seem quite balmy in comparison to the -37 that we will all be enjoying for the remainder of the week (actually, if you ask me, it all kind of feels the same after -25).

Monday, January 2, 2012

So as a rule I don't make new year resolutions because, quite frankly, I don't keep them! However record keeping for our family is something that I actually love to do, but I just haven't been motivated enough to do. This year I decided that I am going to try really hard to blog on a regular basis, and if no-one reads it, I'm ok with that, at least our family has a journal of sorts.

Ok so here I go...A big reason why I haven't blogged in a while is because I am exhausted! Eighteen months ago a friend and I took over a busy little soup and sandwich place in our little Village of Breton. As everyone knows who has had their own business, that you are married to said business and barely have enough time to pick your own nose! (sorry for that visual image...phew it's a good thing no-one reads this!) As busy as our little shop was before we bought it, we have almost doubled it's business, so yeah, I'm proud, but mostly just tired.

My boy Jakey (who is snuggled up right on me as I type) is 11. Oh my 11! He is halfway through grade 6. December at school he received citizen of the month and as if that isn't enough of an honor, he also gets his photo up on the wall of the office for an entire month! Apparently he was beside himself excited and even received a standing ovation at the school assembly.

My girl Anna Banana is 10 and in grade 5. Anna likes me a bit less than Jake so at this moment is playing Donkey Kong Country on the Wii. She still likes school, although the novelty has worn a little thinner over the years, and is very liked by the students and teachers alike. Anna and I are becoming aquarists together and enjoying the steep learning curve that is fish-keeping.

And then there is my Peanut (AKA Orrin). My baby is 6 going on 55. He knows more than everyone about everything and is the strongest and fastest 6 year old going on old man you would have ever had the pleasure of meeting! He is in grade 1 and although claims to hate school, I think that deep down he hates it less than he likes to let on. While he does claim to hate everything that has to do with school, he does enjoy snowboarding, ice skating, playing on the wii and running up and down the kitchen, jumping over the couch and thereby creating holes in his jeans.

The love of my life is as sweet and kind as ever, and also very busy. He not only works full-time as a operator and or foreman, he also has his own excavator and is a volunteer fire fighter for Station 2. In his ahem 'spare' time, he loves to spend it with his family and pretty well every Sunday we all get a hearty brunch made by him and his cooking side-kick, Orrin.

The Blue Bullet (AKA 2000 Dodge Caravan) was placed into retirement by a 2012 Cherry Black Kia Sorrento. Car buying was quite honestly one of the most stressful episodes in my life and if I never had to do it again, I would be OK with that.

We finished our kitchen reno's (well mostly). We still have fiddle little things to do, but it is functional and beautiful and that is all I care about!

My darling Mum came to visit (well lets call it what it was : work) for 3 months this past summer. It was only supposed to be for 2 months but because we stayed so busy at the shop she extended her stay. Holly came with her, but didn't stay quite as long. Then my Dad came out for a few weeks also. It was lovely having the family out and the kiddos also had a blast.

The biggest news so far (actually, who am I kidding, it doesn't get much bigger than this) is da datda....our upcoming trip to Australia!!!!! Yay I am so excited I can hardly contain it. Still in the process of getting cheapest flights etc but it is going to happen! Late February or early March looks like, so fingers crossed no amazing deals slip through our fingers.

My resolution actually comes in two parts, the latter being photo taking. I have also been just awful with that as well. So with an updated blog will come updated pictures....